AyaSafety

The first module establishes essential foundations for safe, ethical, and responsible practices in non-traditional settings. This module lays the groundwork for the entire course, establishing a strong framework of safety and responsibility for those working with ayahuasca.

This module explores the primary risks that participants may face, including overwhelming experiences, dissociation, psychiatric crises, and misinterpretations of "Ayahuasca told me..."

You will learn prevention and risk management strategies with practical tools to ensure that these situations do not escalate into serious and adverse consequences.

This module explores the potential risks and pitfalls facilitators face. In addition to risks related to participant safety, facilitators may encounter challenges that can compromise their own well-being and practice, such as:

• Legal ambiguity and liability risks
• Financial conflicts with participants or co-facilitators
• Intercultural misunderstandings and conflicts in perspectives and worldviews
• Dual relationships and subtle power imbalances 

Through real-life case studies, best practices, and harm-reduction tools, this module helps you identify and mitigate such risks to ensure your work’s long-term positive impact.

This module introduces a set of practical tools designed to enhance safety and preparation in ayahuasca ceremonies. Developed in collaboration with doctors, psychologists, and harm reduction experts, these resources aim to standardize best practices and reduce risks at every stage of the process:

• Health screening questionnaire to assess participant suitability.
• Informed consent form covering ethical and legal considerations.
• Pre-ceremony interview guide to identify risk factors.
• Personal commitment agreement to encourage participant responsibility.
• Emergency protocol with clear action steps for crisis situations.
• Guidelines for group sharing circles to foster integration and reflection.

These resources are continuously updated to align with the latest research and best practices.

This module explores key psychological concepts that can help facilitators identify participant vulnerabilities, manage crises, and uphold ethical boundaries in their work:

• Vulnerable participants & crisis management – Identifying signals pointing to increased risks, grief tending, depression, addiction, and overwhelming experiences.
  
  
• Power dynamics & dual relationships – Preventing emotional dependence and abuse of power and authority.
  
  
• Spiritual bypassing & psychological risks – Understanding when spirituality becomes an escape mechanism, including issues like narcissism and projection.
  
  
• Ethical considerations of working with non-ordinary states of consciousness – Understanding the facilitator's responsibility in the meaning-making process and when to refer participants to professionals.
  
  
• Cultural and social factors – The differences between traditional and non-traditional settings and their impact on participant experiences.

Combining theory and real-world applications, this module helps facilitators develop a more informed, ethical, and safety-conscious approach to ayahuasca work.

Led by José Carlos Bouso, ICEERS' Scientific Director, this module provides a science-based framework on safety considerations in ayahuasca use. Topics include:

• Medication interactions & physiological risks
• How to handle psychiatric emergencies & psychedelic crises
• Bioethics principles applied to plant medicine work
• Understanding trauma & its impact on ceremonial practice

By the end of this module, you will have an evidence-based understanding to enhance your ability to evaluate risks and respond effectively to critical situations.

Drawing from over a decade of experience and over 2,000 support inquiries, this module shares key insights from ICEERS’ Support Center, led by Marc Aixalà, psychologist and psychedelic integration specialist. Topics include:

• Challenges in the integration process
• Developing a structured integration model
• Therapeutic tools and approaches
• Lessons learned from a decade of supporting difficult experiences

This module provides practical, applicable knowledge for facilitators, therapists, and anyone seeking to improve their approach to integrating ayahuasca experiences.

In this final module, you will consolidate everything you’ve learned and apply it to your specific context. You will also conduct a self-assessment exercise to reflect on:

• The challenges and opportunities you've identified throughout the course
• The changes and improvements you may implement in your practice
• Your next steps to strengthen safety, ethics, and accountability in your work

This final exercise ensures that your knowledge translates into real-life impact, supporting a safer, more ethical, and professional practice.

Not at all. This is a course for people who are already experienced in facilitating ayahuasca sessions (either as guides, assistants, or organizers) and are looking to reduce risks and strengthen the safety and ethics of the work.

This course is not for you if you don't already organize ayahuasca sessions and want to learn how to do it. We don’t recommend attempting to learn something like this through an online course. It would be like trying to learn surgery on the internet. You may learn a lot of theory, but in practice, you would be unable to perform.

A large part of the course is applicable to anyone facilitating experiences with altered states of consciousness (preparation, integration, ethics, etc).

However, a key part of the program revolves around aspects that are very specific to ayahuasca, such as drug interactions, group sessions, and the relationship to cultures of origin. The course won’t delve into the nuanced situation of other medicines (such as mushrooms, San Pedro, or the Sonoran Desert Toad).

That being said, if you can't find a course specific to the plants or substances you work with, our program will offer some useful tools to increase the safety of your work.

Yes, it can certainly be useful to you. Safety not only depends on the people who facilitate these experiences, but also on the entire team. A large part of reducing the risks of working with plants does not happen during the session, but rather before and after (screening, integration, etc).

Non-Amazonian contexts present particular challenges and needs that are often not present in traditional scenarios. This course will look at ways to increase safety and avoid the main risks that occur when traditional ayahuasca sessions take place outside of the Amazon.

We define a non-Indigenous or non-traditional context as ayahuasca sessions that take place outside of traditional communities and are conducted under different conditions, whether in the Amazon or elsewhere.

For example, when Indigenous healers share ayahuasca in their communities, it is a traditional context. When the same healers go outside of their country and offer a ceremony in a city (even if the ceremony is traditional), the context is no longer the same.

This course focuses on increasing safety in non-Indigenous or non-traditional contexts.

You can register now! Regular applications for the course are open until May 1st.

Application for scholarships close April 1st.

Course begins May 9th and ends Nov 7th.

First live call will be May 22nd, from 19:00 to 20:30h CEST. There will be a recording if you cannot attend.

This course will take place every year on similar dates. To be notified of future editions of the course you can leave your email here.

The course lasts approximately six months. It starts on May 9th and ends on October 17th, 2025.

The course is designed to adapt to your schedule. Every Friday there are new video lessons (about 1h) released that you can watch at your own pace. 

The biweekly live dialogues take place every other Thursday from 19:00h to 20:30h Central European time. If you can't attend them there will be a recording uploaded to platform the day after.

So, mo matter your schedule you can always access the contents.

See the complete agenda of the course.

To complete the course you will need to:

• Watch all the videos, approximately one hour per week (4 hours per month).
• Participate in the dialogues (1.5 hours every two weeks / 3 hours per month)

The course will require between seven and nine hours of work per month, a little less than two hours per week on average.

Here you can see the complete agenda of the course.

Of course, this is the second lesson in full

How we learn: https://vimeo.com/812163632/ec9f574133

And here are some sections from the intro to the course class

About Iceers: https://vimeo.com/809193344/583b49639b 

About Jero: https://vimeo.com/809197462/d43ec5c08b

Teachers: https://vimeo.com/809197666/18f19872bb 

What we will and we will not learn: https://vimeo.com/809197711/19b0d11321

How the course works: https://vimeo.com/809191292/ac979712b8

All live dialogues will be recorded and uploaded to platform the day after, so that those who have to miss them for some reason can still access the content

The course combines theory and practice with concrete tools you can start to implement into your practice immediately. Each module includes case studies, guides, and professional protocols to help you strengthen the safety of your practice.

The course is designed to accommodate different schedules. Each week, you will receive access to a video lesson (approximately 1 hour), and every two weeks, you will participate in a live session (90 minutes) with our instructors and experts. Additionally, you will have access to all course materials to review at your own pace.

Yes, after completing the course, you will have access to the materials for five years, allowing you to revisit them whenever needed.

In order to make the course accessible to students from different countries, we have set the price on a scale adapted to the country where they reside.

A countries - €135

A countries include:

Argentina, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, and others.

Full list of A countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Republic of Persian Gulf, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Territory, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Tokelau, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia

B countries - €195

B countries include Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, South Africa, and others

The full list of B countries:
Albania, American Samoa,  Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Georgia, Grenada, Guyana, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Namibia, Niue, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Serbia, South Africa, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uruguay.

C countries - €495 (to be made in two payments of €247.50)

C countries include EU-area countries, USA, Canada, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and others.

Full list of C countries:
Aland Islands, Andorra, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guam, Guernsey, Holy See (Vatican City State), Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Korea, Republic of South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Monaco, Montserrat, Nauru, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna.

Additionally, there is a limited number of scholarships for people who can demonstrate financial need, risk of social exclusion, or who belong to marginalized or underrepresented groups. Until April 2nd, you can request scholarships during the regular application process.

In the case of larger organizations, we think it is  useful for as many staff members as necessary to attend the course.

We offer discounts to groups from the same organization from 4 people onwards.

To apply for group discount, write an email to ayasafety (at) iceers (.) org

Every year, there is a limited number of scholarships offered for people who can demonstrate financial need, risk of social exclusion, or who belong to marginalized or underrepresented groups.

You can request scholarships during the regular application process.

ICEERS will refund 80% of the course fee (minus transaction costs) only if the cancellation is made before May 6th, the date the course starts. 

In case of non-payment of the second installment, one month after the beginning of the course (June 6th, 2024) the student's account will be deleted, and they will lose all payments made up to that point.

Participants will receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the course.
To do this, each student must:

• Watch all videos.
• Attend all of the live dialogues (or watch the recordings which will be uploaded to the platform the day after).
• Write a final paper. This will entail making a self-diagnosis of your practice based on what you learned in the course and specifying areas of strength and improvement. It will also highlight the necessary steps, cost, and impact on your practice.

The certificate will be valid for 5 years. After completing the course, students will continue to have access to the video classes and resources, for 5 years, so that they can consult them when needed. Note: Recordings of live dialogues will only be available until the next course begins.

See the complete agenda of the course.

At ICEERS Academy, we value knowledge and collaboration. To facilitate a positive and respectful learning environment, we ask you to follow these rules:

1. Respect and Constructive Communication:

   • Maintain respectful communication in all interactions, including in forums and live discussions.
   • Threats and offensive language are prohibited. We do not tolerate language that could be considered threatening or discriminatory.

2. Academic Honesty:

   • Keep originality in your work. All of your contributions must be original and your own.
   • Use proper citations. When using external material, ensure it is appropriately cited. This upholds integrity and demonstrates respect for other people's intellectual work.

3. Participation:

   • Actively participate in discussions and submissions.
   • Meet the established assignment deadlines.

4. Privacy and Security:

   • Protect your personal information and that of others.
   • Use the provided resources appropriately and maintain data security.

Failure to comply with these rules may result in disciplinary action. This could range from a warning or expulsion from the course to protect the integrity and well-being of the participants and facilitators. This maintains the standard of safety and respect that our training is characterized by.

We appreciate your effort to adhere to these rules.

To contact us, please email us at [email protected]